Colts trade back again in NFL.com mock draft

The Indianapolis Colts traded back to the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft last weekend but the idea of them doing it again isn’t entirely out of the picture.

In Chad Reuter’s five-round mock draft, the Colts traded the No. 6 overall pick to the Buffalo Bills for the No. 12 overall pick, a third-round pick and a 2019 first-round pick.

Reuter had the Colts do this because NC State edge rusher Bradley Chubb was taken by the Denver Broncos with the selection before, which gives the former the incentive to move back again.

After the trade, here’s how the mock draft broke down for the Colts:

No. 12 overall (from Bills)
Denzel Ward
CB
Ohio State

Arguably the best cover corner in the draft, Ward’s value skyrockets because of the run on early quarterbacks at the beginning of the round. At 5-foot-10 ad 190 pounds, Ward is a little smaller but his skills speak for themselves after he recorded 15 passes defended and two interceptions in 2017.

No. 36 overall
Derrius Guice
RB
LSU

The Colts could very well wait for a running back in the draft but seeing how they have so many picks, passing on a prospect like Guice might not be all that wise.

The Colts desperately need help in the backfield and Guice is coming off of a season at LSU in which he recorded 1,251 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

No. 37 overall
Brian O’Neill
OT
Pittsburgh

This might be a little early to take O’Neill, especially considering the other prospects that were still on the board at the time in Will Hernandez and Isaiah Wynn.

Some teams might want to kick O’Neill inside and it isn’t clear what the Colts would do but with this pick they at least added some competition to the offensive tackle positions.

No. 49 overall
Arden Key
EDGE
LSU

With the Colts needing an edge rusher and the top three options off of the board, the front office went with Key in this mock draft.

There are a few red flags with Key as his 2017 production has caused some concern in addition to off the field matters. It isn’t clear how high Key is on the Colts’ board but he may slide down further if they feel he isn’t a building block.

No. 67 overall
Anthony Miller
WR
Memphis

Likely one of the most underrated prospects in the draft, Miller would come to the Colts as a third-round pick after having an extremely productive career at Memphis.

Over the past two seasons at Memphis, Miller finished with 2,896 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns. That’s strong production to put next to T.Y. Hilton.

No. 97 overall (from Bills)
Marcus Allen
S
Penn State

With a playing style that has been compared to current Colts safety Clayton Geathers, Allen would likely come to the Colts as a downhill thumper in an aid to the run defense.

Allen only recorded one interception and 10 passes defended in four years at Penn State but he did finish with 17 tackles for loss.

No. 104 overall
Rashaan Gaulden
CB
Tennessee

The Colts need depth at cornerback and it isn’t clear if Gaulden would help. At 6-foot-1 and 193 pounds, he recorded just one interception and nine passes defended in four years with the Volunteers.

There were several ways this pick could have gone as guard Braden Smith, linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and offensive tackle Jamarco Jones, among others were still available.

No. 140 overall
Antonio Callaway
WR
Florida

Due to character concerns, Callaway drops to the fifth round in this mock draft but after running a 4.41 at the NFL Combine in February, he becomes an interesting project in the later rounds.

Due to the red flags that come with Callaway, it is probably best the Colts stay away, especially considering the locker room environment that is trying to be built.